Kanja said the National Police Service (NPS) is prepared to apprehend any county chief who fails to honour oversight invitations.
Governors who defy Senate summons risk arrest and prosecution, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has warned.
Speaking on Thursday before the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee, Kanja said the National Police Service (NPS) is prepared to apprehend any county chief who fails to honour oversight invitations.
He noted that the police service would not hesitate to act against governors who ignore summons, stressing that failure to appear before Senate oversight teams amounts to a violation of the Constitution.
The IG noted that once apprehended, the governors would be subjected to the necessary legal procedures before being escorted to the committee to answer queries relating to the management of county resources.
“The constitution provides for us to work very, very closely with the senate to ensure that there is accountability in county governments. In instances where the governors fail to comply with summons, the service is always ready, under the instructions of the committee to arrest them and present them here as requested,” Kanja said.
He further assured the committee that the NPS would collaborate fully in investigating and pursuing legal action against any governor implicated in the misuse of county funds.
“In cases where the committee has established that public funds have been misused, the service is always ready to assist in carrying out further investigations and gathering evidence to ensure that any county governor found culpable is prosecuted in accordance with the law,” Kanja said.
He emphasised that governance issues have a nationwide impact and require collective action to protect the country’s interests.
“They affect the whole country. These are areas that all of us we need to work together to see to it that the act is the best interest for our country. I am very, very clear in my mind, and I’ve made it very, very clear that no one is above the law,” he said.
“The National Police Service will continue to operate within the common rights of the law, meaning we are ready to work together with the CPAC Committee, work together with parliament for the good of the people and the issues that have actually been raised.”
He also highlighted the police’s role in safeguarding critical infrastructure, noting that specialised formations, working alongside regular police officers, the DCI, and other security agencies, are actively ensuring that key national assets remain secure and protected.
“That formation is carrying out very important work to ensure that our critical infrastructure remains secure, and it works together with everyone else, including the regular police, DCI officers, and other security providers, to ensure that our critical infrastructure is well protected,” he said.
His remarks come after the Council of Governors (CoG) announced that governors would boycott appearances before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), citing what they described as intimidation and humiliation during sessions.
The CoG pointed to instances where governors were allegedly intimidated or publicly humiliated while being questioned over county operations.
“During the ongoing Governors’ Retreat, the Council of Governors has raised concern over the conduct of certain Senate Committees, citing cases of intimidation and humiliation of Governors during oversight engagements,” the COG said.
